Population 67,078 (2015 est) Area 1,405 km (542.5 sq mi) State electorate(s) Bass Mayor Albert Van Zetten | Established 1853 Council seat Launceston Local time Tuesday 12:36 AM | |
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Region Launceston and surrounds Weather 16°C, Wind E at 8 km/h, 83% Humidity Points of interest City Park - Launceston, Queen Victoria Museum, Country Club Casino, Franklin House, Gorge Scenic Chairlift | ||
The City of Launceston is a local government area of Tasmania, encompassing about half of the greater Launceston area in northern Tasmania. It also includes a region to the north east of Launceston, encompassing towns such as Lilydale. The population residing in this area, 67,190, is the highest of any Local Government Area in Tasmania.
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Map of Launceston TAS, Australia
This area is governed by the Launceston City Council, led by a mayor and eleven other aldermen. The current mayor is Albert Van Zetten, who defeated Legislative Councillor Ivan Dean in the 2007 council elections. Dean's predecessor, Janie Dickenson, was, at the time of her election, the youngest female mayor in Australia. She was first elected mayor in February 2002 at the age of 27.
The City's logo features the Tasmanian tiger, an indigenous animal once bountiful in the Launceston district but hunted to extinction.
Launceston city tasmania march 1991
History
Launceston was first declared as a municipality in 1853 and included only the city centre and immediate surrounds of Launceston. In the 1890s, the municipality grew to include Galvin Town (South Launceston) and in 1906 to include the northern suburbs of Invermay, Mowbray and Trevallyn. In 1908, the Municipalities of George Town, St Leonards, Lilydale, Evandale, Beaconsfield, Longford and Westbury were established.
In 1985, the Municipalities of Lilydale and St Leonards were amalgamated with the Launceston City Council, although the extensive suburban areas under the West Tamar and Meander Valley municipalities remained outside the City Council's jurisdiction. This has produced a local government area that overlaps its similarly named city, rather than either being contained by or encompassing it.